


Let in the Light

by wearing_tearing



Series: Soft Stucky Week [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Christmas Tree, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-War Bucky Barnes, Soft Stucky Week 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 06:30:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8879551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wearing_tearing/pseuds/wearing_tearing
Summary: “Cuddles first,” Steve corrects him, opening up a spot under the blanket for Bucky. “Then episode, tree, and pizza.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Bucky says as he sits down, letting Steve wrap an arm around his shoulder and kiss his temple.





	

**Author's Note:**

> let the softest week begin!

Bucky pads into the kitchen, following the fresh aroma of coffee and pancakes and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. He has to head into work soon, an early shift at the comic book shop, and he knows Steve has a commission that needs to be done by tomorrow; but right now they can enjoy their morning together, their apartment warm and cozy even though snow falls outside.

“Morning, Buck.”

Bucky hums, snaking his arms around Steve’s waist and slipping his hands under Steve’s reindeer sweater, chasing the warmth of his skin. He rests his chin on top of Steve’s head, breathing in the scent of sleep and pancakes and _Steve_.

“Hi,” Bucky answers, voice rough and a little scratchy.

Steve leans back against Bucky, but doesn’t look up from the stove. “There’s coffee for you.”

“‘Mkay,” Bucky mumbles, feeling the rumble of Steve’s laughter under his hands. He smiles, nosing at Steve’s hair and then nuzzling the skin behind his ear, mouth grazing the side of Steve’s neck in a barely there kiss. “Here’s good.”

Steve laughs again, softer this time. “Think you’re going to let go any time soon? Might be a bit hard to finish breakfast if I have to carry a Bucky-backpack around with me.”

“You can do it,” Bucky says, because he knows it’s true. They’ve done it before, started their mornings with Bucky wrapped around Steve, not letting go until they had to sit down to eat. Bucky likes it, being this close to Steve as he gradually wakes up and becomes more aware of his surroundings. “I believe in you.”

“Thanks,” Steve huffs, adding the last pancake to the plate at his side, and then turning off the stove. “Grab us plates?”

Bucky places a kiss to the hinge of Steve’s jaw, reluctantly slipping one hand from under Steve’s clothes so he can open the cabinet in front of him. It’s a little difficult to grab two plates with only one hand, but Bucky doesn’t want to give up the warmth of Steve under his palm, the beat of his heart. And Steve indulges him, pressing Bucky’s hand against his chest over his sweater, fingers digging a little.

“‘M good,” Bucky announces when he’s done, plates in hand.

“Yes, you are.” Steve pats the back of his hand. “Now let me go.”

Bucky makes an annoyed little sound in the back of his throat, but cuddles up to Steve one more time before stepping away. He doesn’t go far, though, because Steve curls a hand around the fabric of Bucky’s hoodie and drags him back, head tilted, lips meeting Bucky’s for a kiss.

Bucky smiles into it, helpless not to, Steve’s mouth wet and hot under his. His free hand comes up to cup Steve’s cheek, keeping him in place as they kiss, slow and deep. They’re both a little breathless when they pull away, eyes heavy and lips red.

“ _Now_ it’s a good morning.” Bucky grins, waggling his eyebrows.

Steve rolls his eyes, although his cheeks are pink. “Let’s just eat.”

 

**

 

“What do you have for today?” Bucky asks, drowning his pancakes in syrup and ignoring Steve’s disgusted look. “Just the commission thing?”

They always use their mornings to coordinate their schedules and figure out if there’s anything they need to do: like go grocery shopping or do the laundry or buy someone a birthday gift.

“Yup.” Steve nods, taking a sip of his green tea. “And we need to let Wanda know if we’re going to her New Years party. Oh, and Sam asked me to ask you if you could make a list of kid appropriate comics, because his niece wants some for Christmas.”

Bucky snorts. “He could’ve just texted me.”

“I think he’s still kind of mad about the snowball fight thing,” Steve offers, lips twitching.

“It’s not my fault he has bad aim,” Bucky sniffs.

“You tackled him _and_ stuffed a snowball down his pants. That has nothing to do with aim.”

“Then it’s not my fault he’s a bad loser,” Bucky tries again, and then slumps a little in his seat when Steve just raises an eyebrow at him. “I’ll give him a really good discount as an apology.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

“He better,” Bucky mutters, stabbing his pancake with a little more force than he means to. “Are we decorating our tree today?”

“No, we’re breaking tradition,” Steve snarks back. “Of course we are.”

Bucky smiles around a mouthful of pancake and syrup. They’ve been decorating their Christmas tree on the same day every year since they moved in together, six years ago, when Steve was still halfway through art school. It’s something they both look forward to, as it also brings happy memories of when Steve’s mom was alive. And every year, without a fault, Bucky asks him if they’re doing it, because that is part of the tradition too.

“I’ll bring the decorations down before I leave,” Bucky tells him, bumping Steve’s foot with his own under the table.

Steve traps Bucky’s foot between his bony ankles. “Thanks.”

Bucky washes the dishes once they’re done eating, while Steve organizes his work table in the living room and hits play on his holiday playlist. Bucky listens to Steve’s singing voice, tuneless and horrible, and hums under his breath as he works.

 

**

 

“Here.”

Bucky looks up just in time to be hit in the face with his beanie. It falls on his lap, the red star on it facing up. “Rude.”

“You forgot it last time.” Steve frowns at him, also picking up Bucky’s black, red, and white snowflake scarf and matching mittens. They were a gift from Steve about two Christmas ago, and Bucky absolutely loves them. Even though they make him look like a dork most of the time. “I don’t want you to get sick again.”

“My best guy,” Bucky bats his eyelashes, and settles the beanie by his side on the bed, “always taking care of me.”

“Someone’s gotta,” Steve sighs, although his eyes are bright. He comes up to Bucky, standing in between Bucky’s spread legs, fingers combing through Bucky’s short hair, fluffing it up. “Gimme.”

Bucky hands Steve the beanie, eyes falling shut as Steve messes with his hair, slender artist fingers tugging at the strands. Steve pulls the beanie over Bucky’s head, arranging it as he likes, and making sure Bucky’s ears are covered.

“Do I look handsome?” Bucky asks once Steve’s hands come to rest on his shoulders.

Steve stares at him, assessing. “You’ll do.”

“Nice.” Bucky snorts, but happily brushes their lips together when Steve leans down for a kiss.

“You’ll be late,” Steve whispers against Bucky’s mouth, bumping their noses together.

Bucky checks the old clock on Steve’s nightstand. “I still have some time,” he says, “which means I can go grab out decorations _and_ make out with you.”

“Be still my heart.” Steve fake-swoons, laughing when Bucky stands up and tips him backwards. “Hey!”

Bucky kisses Steve again, loud and wet, grinning at the way it makes Steve giggle. “I got you.”

“You do.” Steve grins back, cheeks flushed. “Now go get our decorations.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bucky sneezes only once as he brings the boxes down from the depths of their closet, placing them on their bed. They are all of the Rogers’ old Christmas ornaments, plus a few things Steve and Bucky have bought during their time together.

“I’ll get the tree later,” Steve tells him, already opening the first box.

Theirs is a fake Christmas tree, which is currently stored somewhere behind a pile of coats in their hallway closet. They’ve had it for a few years, and while it looks a bit banged up one one side, it will still survive many holidays at the Barnes-Rogers apartment.

“Alright.” Bucky nods, grabbing his gloves and scarf. “Walk me to the door?”

Steve does, going as far as zipping up Bucky’s coat for him, grabbing the lapels and pulling him down for a kiss. “Don’t forget about Sam.”

“I won’t,” Bucky promises, stealing another kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” Steve says, this time dropping a kiss to Bucky’s chin. “Have a nice day.”

“You too,” Bucky answers, already halfway out the door. “Don’t start decorating without me!”

“I make no promises!” Steve yells back, although they both know he won’t.

 

**

 

Bucky takes off his beanie, running his fingers through his hair a few times so it doesn’t stay flat and matted to his skull. He knows it’s probably sticking up everywhere, but he prefers that to the greasy look. He can hear Steve moving around in the living room as he takes off his coat, scarf and gloves, and boots, as well as the sound of the TV on.

“Is that the intro song to _Brooklyn Nine-Nine_ that I hear?” Bucky calls out, smiling at the silence he gets from Steve.

Bucky walks into the living room to find their tree standing in the corner by the window and Steve on the couch, their fleece blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He looks up at Bucky, eyes blue and big and innocent.

“It is not,” Steve says, tone flat.

Bucky raises an eyebrow at him and looks at the TV, just as Boyle appears and calls out Jake’s name. “Oh?”

Steve presses his lips together. “Okay, it is.”

“Steve!” Bucky starts, sounding all kinds of hurt. “We’re supposed to watch it together.”

“This is last year’s Christmas episode!” Steve argues.

“That’s even worse!” Bucky gasps, clutching at his chest. “My favorite episode,” he stumbles around to the couch, “about my favorite holiday?” he mock trips on his own two feet. “The _betrayal_ ,” he groans as he flops down on top of Steve, playing dead, eyes closed tongue sticking out.

After a few seconds of nothing, Bucky opens one eye. Steve is staring down at him, biting down on his bottom lip so hard it’s turned white. As soon as their gazes meet, Steve bursts out laughing, entire body shaking, his arms slipping from under the blanket and wrapping themselves around Bucky.

“Idiot,” Steve mumbles against Bucky’s cheek, still laughing.

“ _Your_ idiot,” Bucky throws back, turning his head so he can kiss Steve, their teeth clinking together.

“I have really bad taste, huh?” Steve muses, gasping a little when Bucky nips at his bottom lip.

“Excuse you. I’m amazing.”

Steve smiles, small and fond. “Yeah, you are.”

Bucky swallows around a lump in his throat, kissing Steve one last time before he gets up. “Episode first, then tree, then pizza?”

“Cuddles first,” Steve corrects him, opening up a spot under the blanket for Bucky. “Then episode, tree, and pizza.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Bucky says as he sits down, letting Steve wrap an arm around his shoulder and kiss his temple.

 

**

 

“Alright,” Bucky claps his hands together. “Lights first.”

The TV is on behind them, playing old episodes of _Call the Midwife_. The boxes with their decorations are now on the coffee table, and they’ve already separated what they want to put on the tree and what is staying in the boxes.

“Here.” Steve hands him the traditional lights, which he already took the time to untangle. “I’ll hold them up while you wrap them around the tree?”

They have this decorating business down to an art, although they always trade who does what every year. So Steve makes sure the lights don’t end up all in knots again as Bucky starts at the bottom of the tree and builds his way up, wrapping them around branches and the trunk, working his way to the top.

“How do you like it?” Bucky asks Steve once he’s done and they’ve plugged in the lights, the little dots of white making their tree glow.

“Looks good,” Steve replies, bumping his elbow against Bucky’s. “Now garlands.”

Bucky holds on to Steve’s waist as Steve stands on a chair, slowly draping the garlands to the tree, going from the top to the bottom, weaving them between branches. It takes him a while, but soon enough their tree looks livelier than before.

They both put up the ornaments, starting with the very old ones that belonged to Steve’s mom. They move on to the first set of sparkly Christmas balls they bought together, then to the others they’ve accumulated over the years. The tree goes from sad-looking to colorful and festive, brightening up their apartment.

“Now for the finishing touch,” Bucky starts, twirling around in his socks. He frowns, looking at the coffee table. “Where’s the star?”

“Here.”

Bucky looks up, watching as Steve dangles the star from between his fingers, smiling. “Did you hide it?” he narrows his eyes.

“Maybe,” Steve answers, shrugging one shoulder.

“And I’m the jerk,” Bucky mutters, ducking away when Steve tries to poke him in the stomach.

Steve stops in front of the tree again, standing on his tiptoes as he tries to place the start on top of tree. Bucky bites on the inside of his cheek not to laugh, knowing how much Steve hates not being able to reach it. He does this every year before he either accepts defeat and stands up on the chair or lets Bucky do it.

This year seems to be a case for the latter, so Bucky doesn’t hesitate as he comes up behind Steve, one hand settling on his hip, the other plucking the star from his hold. Bucky presses his chest to Steve’s back as he places the star on top of their tree, and then drops a kiss to the top of Steve’s head, hiding a smile.

“Better?”

“Yes,” Steve says, trying to sound grumpy and failing miserably.

Bucky turns him around, arms wrapping themselves around Steve’s small waist. “I love you.”

Steve makes a little soft sound in the back of his throat, hands cupping Bucky’s cheeks. “I love you too.”

“Merry Christmas,” Bucky says, and in front of their tree, he pulls Steve in for a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [tumblr](http://hawkguyz.tumblr.com/) for more soft content! :D


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